Post by sinceifell4u on Feb 10, 2009 21:45:28 GMT -5

David ASSUMES that his normal charm can win over Agnes but in reality it has zero effect. He also assumes that she will defend anything he does, but once he makes that "dumb blonde" reference....well, he finds out how wrong he really is.

Gray, my man you really said something here...the usually suspects are unreadable indeed! Agnes was trying to hear David out; she's humble in her seating, head bowed and listening. Then David makes that comment to absolve himself from any responsibility; to get Agnes to choose sides.

As we witness, it totally back fires and I think at this point David realizes that Maddie is just as important to Agnes as he is...that they are a family, a package deal. Without Maddie, it's not the same, they can't go back to the way it was before she shows up 4 years ago.

This is a driving force which makes David grab his manhood and face his future father-in-law (so we hoped).

Post by diane on Feb 10, 2009 21:47:31 GMT -5

2. From the expanding packet of popcorn in the beginning, we know the news of Maddie's pregnancy is going to "pop". What is your feeling about her parents' reactions? Do you feel she herself has come to grips with the pregnancy yet?

I just love the popcorn image...the comparison to the popcorn and her belly are actually in the stage directions.

I love Robert Webber and Eva Marie Saint. They were just perfect in these roles. I think they look more like Maddie's parents than Cybill's parents look like hers. And I think their reactions are spot on. There is not a parent on earth with a 36 year old unmarried daughter who aren't desperate for grandchildren!

But I think our Maddie is in denial...even though she is sick, even though she has told her mother, even after the doctor's visit......I think she is still not there. And excuse me for looking ahead, but I think her big wake up call comes when David sends her the baby books....to be continued!

"I don't have a disease...I have a difference of opinion." ~ Maddie Hayes

Post by jpen on Feb 10, 2009 21:51:19 GMT -5

7. David's declaration on the plane:

Oh, my. This is definitely among my top 5 favorite moments in the series. It's brilliantly written and even more brilliantly delivered. I actually got "essed" enough today to transcribe it (see below), just to be able to really examine the structure of it; but the real magic, I think, is in how Bruce builds David's emotion. In the beginning, it's a vindication of himself to Mr. Hayes: there's a challenge, and a certain ruefulness...building to anger...but by the end, it's a heart-rending cry from a guy who just can't understand why the woman he loves is playing stickball with his guts. Really, it encapsulates their relationship, and his feelings about her, perfectly.

Anyway, for anyone who's interested, here it is. The punctuation may not be exact, but I'm fairly sure the words are accurate.

THE BIG SPEECH:

"I am sorry about this afternoon…about what I said, and the way I said it. Believe it or not, out of this whole mess, we got a dead heat between things that I did right and things that I did wrong.

Do you have any idea how I feel about your daughter? Do you? I work with her there, in the same office, every day. Every day I see another guy come in and tell me that his wife packed the car and left him forever, and he wants us to get the car back. Then I look over at her—there she is, just sittin’ there. Four billion people in the world, half of ‘em built for comfort, and I gotta pick this one to want to grow old with.

But that’s not good enough for Maddie—she needs time—I gotta wait for this one. And maybe you’re right—maybe she’s right—maybe I am wrong, but I don’t think so.

I have had to chop myself into little pieces—my pride, my personality, everything that I am into little squares for this woman. I try to wear the white hat: I go over to her house one night, heart on my sleeve, cards on the table. I’m gonna tell her I love her, I want to marry her, I want to promise her the moon…and—excuse me—there is another man there! That’s right—there’s another man there.

So, OK, this is the 80s…so I waited for her to make up her mind, whether she wants him or she wants me. And she finally does—or so I thought. We spend a great month together—I wake up one morning and she is gone. Boom. Out. Just like that.

Next thing I hear, she’s at your house in Chicago. The next news bulletin I hear is that she’s pregnant…with a baby that may or may not be mine. OK, she’s confused, she wants to go away, she doesn’t know who the father is, OK, I understand. But she wasn’t even gonna tell me.

So what did I do? What did I do? I get on my horse, sound the bugle, and go fight the fight? No—I go home and I wait—because she tells me to. I wait, and I wait, and I wait, and I WAIT! And you know why? Because I love her—because I’m crazy about her. Marry her? Hell yes, I’d marry her! I asked her—she said no!

So don’t come around here making me the villain—don’t blame this on me. Marry her? Do I love her? Mr. Hayes, I would give up my life for her.

It’s over—all this—all this craziness, this whole attitude—it’s all done. I didn’t come here to tell you your daughter is a bad guy…but I’m not a bad guy either.

You said to me today I was giving up on Maddie and the baby…no, I wasn’t. I wasn’t givin’ up on them, I was givin’ up on myself. Well, that’s done. That is over.

If this thing is gonna work, this whole relationship, this whole thing with me and her, the baby, all of it—if it’s gonna work, she’s gotta come to me now.

Post by manitobadesigner on Feb 10, 2009 21:56:52 GMT -5

I don't think anyone's mentioned this yet – did any of you wonder why David never told Mr. Hayes about being dragged off to prison? I realize it was a ridiculous plot, and David probably would have figured that he was just making it up...

Every time I hear Mr. Hayes say "You're running my daughter's business into the ground", I always wonder why he doesn't mention it.

"Um, I was mistaken for this serial killer, and then I was almost killed, and then we had some ice cream..."

Post by diane on Feb 10, 2009 21:57:28 GMT -5

3. Is David a "father figure" to the office staff? How do you interpret their reactions in this episode? I think together David and Maddie are parental figures......David is the father who fools around and has trouble disciplining, as somebody else has said. But what a fun dad!

I do love one of the stage directions in the script......after David returns to the office, it says "Bert and Agnes are like two kids rescued after setting fire to the house."

"I don't have a disease...I have a difference of opinion." ~ Maddie Hayes

Post by lin212 on Feb 10, 2009 21:58:31 GMT -5

jpen, thanks for the scene. It is so powerfully written that the words just leap off the page. As you read, you can see and hear David, the clutch in his voice, the tears in his eyes. It is just perfect.

Post by jpen on Feb 10, 2009 21:59:01 GMT -5

David's commitment is revitalized after his encounter with Mr. Hayes! David is weary after enduring so much heartache dealing with Maddie's disappearing act.

He feels abandoned and alone; then not to mention the lost deposit, crashing the car, prison... trying to do the right thing yet at every turn, faced unimaginable resistance. We're not going to even talk about the "nay" on the marriage proposal.

This guy was about to throw in the towel! Mr. Hayes' visit forced the hand, making David react, thus resurrecting the feelings that had become numb in order to cope with Maddie leaving. Mr. Hayes represents the characteristics of Maddie that makes David step up his game.

The only person that can truly challenge David is Maddie; enough to make him react, stand up and let everything be known.

Right on the money, sinceifell. Weary, exhausted, downtrodden, heartsick--pick your adjective, David is at his lowest point. Agnes inspires him, but I really think it's Mr. Hayes' resistance--and incorrect assumptions--that cause him to spill his heart.

"I don't want you losing any more sleep over me.""Believe me, if and when I ever find myself 'over' you, the last thing I'll be thinking about is sleeping."

Post by beesnbears on Feb 10, 2009 22:01:18 GMT -5

6. Does David's commitment change or grow throughout the episode after his encounter with Mr. Hayes?

I don't think David's commitment changes, but it does grow....does that make sense??

He was committed to Maddie, I think, since IAC.....M. He was happier than he had ever been when he was with her. He hits a wall after she leaves, he ends up in prison and then when he gets out, he goes home and starts packing his bags thinking he would finally go to Chicago. Only he hears the message from Maddie thanking him for not coming and that she loves him......Where his commitment grows is his conversation with Agnes and then his encounter with Mr. Hayes. He is ready to give up until Mr. Hayes tells him not to. To go home and be ready, it's never over. He gives David hope and we see it in his eyes when he returns to Blue Moon with a little book about Fatherhood in his coat pocket!

Post by sinceifell4u on Feb 10, 2009 22:01:37 GMT -5

But I think our Maddie is in denial...even though she is sick, even though she has told her mother, even after the doctor's visit......I think she is still not there.

Diane, your absolutely right, truly...Maddie is discombobulated not only by her pregnancy, the morning sickness, the uncertainty of who the father is...now let's add "Love Sick" to the equation. Maddie's parents can't really offer her much comfort, they only true comfort she desires inwardly is embodied by David's presence.(ff'ding to the "reunion" and the sigh Maddie takes when she sees him for the first time; although she got "hitched" to Wally)

I think Maddie can't believe she hasn't seen him for so long, I also believe that she quietly yearns for our boy to show up (no matter what she says). Maddie loves the chase, after all, she has initiated the chase for almost 4 years by the time David actually "catches" her..(I think the catching of her arm in IAC...M is symbolic of that , just for reference sake).

Post by sinceifell4u on Feb 10, 2009 22:04:37 GMT -5

I don't think anyone's mentioned this yet – did any of you wonder why David never told Mr. Hayes about being dragged off to prison? I realize it was a ridiculous plot, and David probably would have figured that he was just making it up...

Every time I hear Mr. Hayes say "You're running my daughter's business into the ground", I always wonder why he doesn't mention it.

"Um, I was mistaken for this serial killer, and then I was almost killed, and then we had some ice cream..."

Manit I think David feels that it's so unbelievably like one of the excuses he would give Maddie for being late to a meeting; he knew Mr. Hayes would have thought he was mocking him.

Post by graycav56 on Feb 10, 2009 22:08:29 GMT -5

I don't think anyone's mentioned this yet – did any of you wonder why David never told Mr. Hayes about being dragged off to prison? I realize it was a ridiculous plot, and Mr Hayes probably would have figured that he was just making it up...

Hmm. Good point. Never thought of that. Boy, I can't really recall any other references to the entire prison deal in any other shows. Might have to watch again to see!